Singapore faces an increased risk of haze from June to October 2026 [1].
This environmental threat poses significant risks to public health and air quality across the city-state and the broader Southeast Asian region. The haze is typically caused by smoke from forest fires, which can drift across borders and reduce visibility.
Weather patterns are expected to create a volatile environment. An emerging El Niño and a positive Indian Ocean Dipole are forecast to bring warmer and drier conditions to the region. These factors are expected to increase forest-fire activity, which in turn generates the haze that affects Singapore [1], [3].
Government officials have warned that these climate drivers could create an exceptionally severe cycle. Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, said the projected hotter and drier conditions later in 2026 could trigger more intense forest fires and haze in Southeast Asia fueled by a potential "Godzilla El Niño cycle" [3].
While the risk period for Singapore is identified as June through October 2026 [1], other reports suggest that the broader weather effects of El Niño may peak during the autumn and winter of the same year [1]. The combination of these atmospheric phenomena creates a window of vulnerability for the region's peatlands, and forests.
Local authorities typically monitor air quality indices and issue health advisories when the Pollutant Standards Index reaches hazardous levels. The interplay between the Indian Ocean Dipole and El Niño often exacerbates drought conditions, making vegetation more susceptible to ignition and prolonging the duration of fires once they start.
“Singapore faces an increased risk of haze from June to October 2026”
The convergence of a positive Indian Ocean Dipole and a strong El Niño creates a compounding effect that significantly lowers the moisture levels in Southeast Asian soil. This makes the region's forests more flammable and increases the likelihood of transboundary haze, which often leads to economic disruptions and public health crises in urban centers like Singapore.
